Housing Works Awarded 29 New Family Unification Program Vouchers for Rental Assistance

Redmond, OR. Housing Works, the regional housing authority for Central Oregon, announced today that it was awarded 29 additional “Family Unification Program (FUP)” vouchers from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These new FUP vouchers will provide rental assistance to parents struggling to provide adequate housing for their children and for young adults (ages 18-24) who have aged-out of the foster care system. The FUP Voucher Program is a sub-set of the Housing Choice Voucher Program. HUD awarded $30 million to 61 local public housing authorities across the country to help house an additional 3,083 households.

Housing Works will administer the 29 vouchers in partnership with the Department of Human Services -Child Welfare. Additionally, NeighborImpact, J Bar J Youth Services and Central Oregon Continuum of Care have committed to providing vital services to households assisted by these vouchers. Housing Works’ HCV Director Lesly Gonzalez shared, “This was a very competitive NOFA process, and we are thrilled to have been awarded these additional vouchers.”

Prior to this award, Housing Works managed 1,243 vouchers through the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) and Mainstream Voucher programs. Housing Works was able to house over 2,600 individuals in 2017 in rental units on the private market through its rental assistance programs. Housing Works paid out $7.6 million in Housing Assistance Payments to over 505 landlords last year. The 29 new FUP Vouchers have an annual dollar value of $200,669. Housing Works will issue these new vouchers once it receives further guidance from HUD.

Housing Works is the largest affordable housing provider in Central Oregon. It provides people with quality, safe and affordable homes; and through a number of collaborations, it provides the resources to help people stabilize their lives. Housing Works developments in Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras and Sisters have won awards for innovation, economic impact, design, and beautification. For more information, visit www.housing-works.org.